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Just after hanging her latest exhibition at the Whitney, JULIE MEHRETU dials Arman from home. Growing up a child of the early 70's during the height of the Pan-African post colonial movement, Mehretu shares a lifetime of music and stories as perceptive as her art. Painting a parallel between the ability jazz has to structurally shift music into a plane of abstraction, Mehretu's insightful ear is as fine tuned as they come. From Mavis Staples' sexy voice, Steve McQueen's brilliant filmmaking, and the feeling of real liberation Lil Nas X's video Montero inspires, the soundtrack to MEHRETU's life evokes a new type of aesthetic. Digging into her own archeology, she describes hiding Prince pins under her lapel as a kid, living in New York City during the peak of the 90's hip hop scene, and what it's like for her to approach a blank canvas. To get into a particular mood, Julie puts early hip hop or a Sun Ra album on the turntable. Listen now to get into the mood of all of the above!

It’s no surprise that DAVID BYRNE enters the Zoom with a startling, silvery magnetism. With a mind as sharp as an encyclopedia but as free as the wind, BYRNE delves into the music and poetry that inspired him to re-imagine the Top 40, launching his iconoclastic career. As original as thinkers come, jumping into Byrne’s world pushes boundaries, questions structures, and does it all with BYRNIAN flare: perfectly synchronous with eclectically mesmerizing style. Amongst his inexhaustible influences and inspirations, he describes Gamelan music, the airy harmonies of Peter, Paul & Mary, and how the sensuous melodies and rhythms of Brazilian music move him with emotion. Don’t miss the chance to visit Byrne’s world, dance to his drum, you’ve found the place!

GOLSHIFTEH FARAHANI is not quick to fill the silence, but she can't help but fill her surroundings with light. Leaving a space open for divine interference, she sits with Arman in her living room. FARAHANI takes a closer look into the cultures, diaspora, languages, and frequencies that course through her, tuning her life. Forging a connection between her innate drive to create and Iran's culture in which art is as essential as breathing oxygen, Farahani describes her life as a bridge between West and East. Quoting the great Rumi: “The reason a bamboo becomes a flute is because it’s empty,” listeners can feel the divine melody that fills FARAHANI’S being, emitting light through a darker time for humanity. Beyond profundity, perhaps, is the very idea of silence as truth. To slip into a new persona, Farahani speaks of channeling the quieter realms of existing in which no words, noises, or even attempts of expression can match the very essence of BEING. Being, beautifully, as Farahani embodies, comes with the acceptance of death, silence, the spaces between. Diving into those spaces, it’s clear that any room she walks into takes on a higher frequency before - Farahani is electric, alluring, and very much herself. Describing everything from music being a medium of memories, the beauty of 'nothingness', Prince and MJ's ability to channel melodies from above, Farahani's words flow like poetry. Listen and you'll learn, love and be lifted up.

SVEN MARQUARDT exudes stoic creativity, describing Berghain as a 'place of diversity, freedom, and anarchy,' SVEN delves into the historical context of Berlin's notorious club scene alongside his lifelong passion for photography. Having grown up within the GDR, SVEN delves into the deep inspirations that drive him: from hearing Freddie Mercury's voice for the first time to the static beauty of silence on one of his shoots. Impossible to mistake the iconoclastic power of Berlin nightlife as THE countercultural institution of the past two decades, he reiterates the importance of spaces where true expression can thrive into the crack of dawn. Aside from his infamy as being the world's most recognizable Bouncer, MARQUARDT's love of music, film, and fashion are integral to understanding the full spectrum of his personality, combined with a refined taste of all the latter you won't want to miss.

Multi-talented filmmaker and actress MAISIE WILLIAMS wears many hats. In her latest, she channels Jordan Mooney, a role not for the faint of heart. Effervescent and insightful, MAISIE describes diving into the punk queen’s character, immersing herself into an art movement edging towards liberation. If anyone can rise to the brightest limelight and remain as perceptive and grounded as can be, it’s MAISIE. Tune in and listen to she and Arman discuss the music that shapes her life, draws her into the delicate mental realms of acting, echoing like an extension of her own brain.

TREMAINE EMORY makes every word count. Bringing to life the joys of ‘getting in your feelings’ to some Miles Davis at 2AM with a burger at Bistro NYC, ARMAN and EMORY's shared love of local NYC haunts, dancing to James Brown, Michael Jackson, & Prince will pull you right in. A true polymath at heart, EMORY’S use of iconography to raise social awareness of systematic racism is just one thread of his extraordinary ability to tap into the positive aspects of the wild world of Instagram and the Internet. Not without awareness of the digital world’s downsides, EMORY mentions that he sees the internet as ‘the largest double edged sword in the history of humanity.’ Alongside anecdotes on love, obliterating the boundaries of genre, Frank Ocean’s impeccable writing style, and describing the sound of his alter ego: DENIM TEARS, EMORY shares music that shaped him. As 1/3 of the enigmatic trio, No Vacancy Inn, Emory recalls one of their many infamous gigs through his earnest yet deliberate artistry of storytelling. Reminding listeners that the three most important things for creativity are interconnected: "self-confidence, self love, and not seeking validation from outside things,” Emory signs off with his undeniable and understated cool.

No time is wasted in this episode. MAGNETIC Marina Abramović describes the act of reminiscing on the past as comparable to “reading old newspaper.” Nonetheless, Abramović brings new color to sharing a few moments in which music shaped her life. 

Recalling being brought to tears at the age of 14 by the sound of Maria Callas’ voice pouring out of her grandmother’s Bakelite radio, Abramović nearly implodes with passion while expressing the source of her inspiration to breathe new life into opera. From Chavela Vargas' powerhouse vocals in the middle of Paloma Negra, to Juliette Greco’s raspy conviction, Abramović reveals a tapestry of strong willed women inspire her work. Emphasizing her vulnerability as a force both equal and opposite to stubbornness, she describes a dynamic integral to both her work and way of life. Following steadfast in her belief that “people react only when they see real emotion, not fake,” love and courage are a common thread though her personality, work, and music tastes. Opening her heart to the public is no magic spell casting for fame - it’s her completely genuine way of giving out what the world needs most. Envisioning the future of art as nothing other than a pure transmission of energy between viewer and artist, Abramović radiates brilliance, self-possession, and comes across as a living example of why we should all live life with the courage to continue falling in love again, and again. There are no limitations, no barriers, and no ‘no’’s in her way. Switching off her mic, she says goodbye to Arman, and goes back to work.

DAVID LACHAPELLE'S unmistakable charisma transports us to sunny Los Angeles. LACHAPELLE takes Arman on a crash course through his experiences of regularly attending Studio54 at the age of 14, fueling his spirit through dancing, faith in himself, love, and God. DAVID discusses Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, recounting the first time he met Tupac Shakur, also revealing the Life Lessons learned from his friend Andy Warhol. Much like one of his photographs, in this episode, every detail counts. Describing the feeling of stepping out onto the New York City streets with your clothing freezing to your body after sweating the night away with Ru Paul at The Pyramid. Listeners: lean in, get ready to be moved.

Radical Optimism kicks off SEASON 2 with none other than THEE Pop Star giving Disco life, DUA LIPA. Over Zoom, Arman dials Dua — sitting at the Chateau with a green juice in hand — the two have a laugh, talk about music's transcendent power to break language barriers, and what it was like to call her upon her idols and create the anthems of Future Nostalgia soundtracking our states of self-isolation WHILE topping the Billboard Charts and becoming the most streamed album in history. If 2020 has taught us anything, it's that it takes strength to be optimistic and fully present: Dua's Future Nostalgia serves as a testament to our collective need for more positivity — through the lens of an intergenerational dance party, of course.

WOLFGANG TILLMANS and ARMAN NAFÉEI sit down in his studio in Berlin - full of plants, printers, photographs and warmth. This journey through TILLMANS’ mind is one to enjoy - taking us from his first purchase of a $20 flash gun camera, to playing an unreleased track live on the show, and discussing the COVID vs HIV crisis, and shared yearning for the return of nightlife and human connection. TILLMANS is as prolific, perceptive and evolved as ever.